ESPN projection: D-backs will win 73 games in 2019
Mar 11, 2019, 2:02 PM
Arizona Diamondbacks' Eduardo Escobar (14) celebrates his run scored against the Los Angeles Dodgers with David Peralta, left, and manager Torey Lovullo (17) during the first inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 24, 2018, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
With all of the subtractions this offseason, it is safe to say that the optimism surrounding the Arizona Diamondbacks has decreased heading into the 2019 season.
ESPN’s Bradford Doolittle projected the D-backs to miss out on the playoffs for the second straight year in 2019 and win 73 games in his most recent MLB win-loss predictions.
I’m just not seeing where the runs to replace the voids opened by the losses of (Paul) Goldschmidt and A.J. Pollock are going to come from. And while the rotation should be decent, without Patrick Corbin it’s not going to carry this roster into contention. This is another soft-looking rebuild.
This offseason, the club has been tasked with finding ways to fill the voids left by those former All-Stars.
With that being said, the club has a lot of work to do before it can prove that it can still be force in the division.
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With the D-backs reportedly in an agreement with center fielder Adam Jones, the D-backs have decided to turn to the likes of Jones, Jake Lamb, David Peralta and Eduardo Escobar to step up and fill those offensive holes that Doolittle mentioned.
As for the pitching, the D-backs acquired starting pitchers Luke Weaver and Merrill Kelly to add depth to the pitching staff and fill the spot left by Corbin.
The D-backs open up their season on March 28 with a series against the Dodgers at Dodger stadium.
